Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday strongly asserted that his government will not allow the BJP-led central government to remove the names of over eight lakh ration card holders in the state under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

Addressing the media, Mann questioned the criteria adopted by the Centre for recommending the deletion of beneficiaries, stating that the proposed action could affect at least 32 lakh people, assuming four members per family.

He explained that the Centre’s report suggested beneficiaries with a four-wheeler or more than 2.5 acres of land should be excluded from the NFSA. Mann asked, "If a ration card holder gets a government job and shifts to the city from his village, will the rest of his family members not get ration?" He added, "If a ration card holder has a car but his brother does not, then what is the fault of the rest of the family?"

The Chief Minister emphasized that his government would not allow even a single ration card to be deleted. Mann also highlighted that Punjab has a total of 1.53 crore NFSA beneficiaries who receive wheat at Rs 2 per kg, and he criticized the Centre for claiming that many of these beneficiaries are “fake.”

Mann said he has written to the Centre requesting a six-month period for beneficiary verification and assured that he will personally raise the issue. He reaffirmed his government’s commitment to the poor, saying, "This is the AAP government and we always stand by the poor."

Under the NFSA, each beneficiary is entitled to 5 kg of wheat per month at a subsidized rate, ensuring food security for vulnerable families across Punjab.